Volca Modular Distortion Problem - How To Get A Clean Sound
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
- How To Fix the Volca Modular Distortion Problem
If you'd like to support the channel you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
chrislody.band...
www.etsy.com/u...
Chat to me on:
@chrislodymusic.bsky.social
Listen on:
/ chrislody
I've known for a while that I've got distortion problems with my Korg Volca Modular but it only just occurred to me that it'd be easy enough to solve. Luckily I had everything I needed to hand and my first attempt worked without lowering the output volume too much. A ribbon of a hundred 1/4 watt 2.2k ohm resistors (or 2k2 as they're also known) like the ones shown will cost about £1.50 with free p+p on eBay so it's not expensive either, possibly even cheaper from an actual electronics supplier. But don't ask me what to do with the other 98 of them...
Interestingly I wasn't expecting it to be this simple to solve. I was expecting to have to build a voltage divider per LPG which would have required 4 resistors and a connection to ground which is a little problematic on the Volca Modular, so it's fortunate that wasn't required.
I'm gradually building a battery powered modular system with the V.Mod at the heart of it, so it was nice to solve this problem for that too. More of that at some point soon as I've just made a nice tray from some plywood and hardwood edging to sit it all on my knee as I watch TV in the evening. Proper nerd territory.
Expect a bit more vlog style content from the channel in the future too by the way. I've spent way too long on RUclips avoiding filming myself and talking but now I've actually started to do that I'm quite enjoying it so I've got much more planned alongside the usual tutorial and jam content.
#ChrisLody
#VolcaModular
Mine does the same thing. I never thought it'd be such an easy fix. Thank you so much for efforts.
Glad to help, hope it works for you too 😁
Short, informative, and probably a real headscratcher of a problem to solve. I don't own a volca (or any other) modular, but I'd give 2 Thumbs Up if I could
Thanks very much, the encouragement is much appreciated 😁
Great idea! It's such a "plus" to know how electronic sound devices work so you can do these specific corrections and additions. I really need to learn soldering. It looks pretty easy. Just requires the proper Tools.
I'll have to check my Volca Modular for serial numbers. I do know that when I first turned it on I thought it was defective as the volume level is SO LOW to begin with. After watching and listening to more people who bought this Volca, they were saying the same things. You have to turn the volume up so much that it does get to a point where weird feedback/distortion of the initial sound occurs sometimes. I believe Korg even mentioned that this is the lowest volume Volca in the series because people were writing and complaining to Korg about this when it first came out. Hope that helps.💡🎵🤙
I think it's just that its basic tone is built around triangle waves which have a lot less harmonics so their overall tone is much more mellow. Through the internal speaker they sound very weak but I always run mine into my audio interface into my studio monitors. Personally I really like the sounds that can be achieved with it, nice weird stuff 😄
@@ChrisLodyMusic Oh yes. It's definitely one of my favourite and most used. It has a great assortment of non-western scales which I am more accustomed to, so that in itself is wonderful to have + play around with.🌌🔥
Love your Volca Modular videos!
Thanks very much 😁
@@ChrisLodyMusic I just added a Q&D Midi controller to my KVM.
Korg MS-20Kit USB>KentonUSB2MIDI>korg Volca Modular.
I find the tuning much better than CV/Gate control via CV OCD- and it frees up the CV input for more CV goodness!
I have loads of Volca experiments on my channel!
@SouthShoreSonics Oh excellent. I've used midi to CV on the VMod but I find the pitch a bit wobbly to a mod my be the answer.
I just remembered where I know your name from, I used to trawl your channel for Blofeld tips when i had one. Had to sell that when I moved though
@@ChrisLodyMusic After further experimentation with the MIDI MOD, I find that the Volca Modular still drifts, and session to session this would mean a retune, and in my books this would be tedious to unpatch, tune then repatch.
However, having Midi control over the parameters would more than make up for it.
IMO, the KVM is more of a percussion sound generator.
I will leave chromatic accuracy up to my Volca Bass and my other synths.
It is still a fun noise box, regardless of how you control it!
Got the same problem
Chris
Many thanks for the tips
Iam going to get some parts
Use your remedy
Thanks
I seriously was just wondering about the same questions a couple of months ago. Thanks for the hack!
Thank you, you're welcome 😁
Thanks for the really useful tips! I never thought I can use the split function the other way around. Also, that you can actually just solder wires and combine / split whatever. And yes, I have the distortion issuen also with my VM. 😎
You're welcome. I've not hear feedback from many people so thanks for letting me know it's not just mine
Great information! I think making resistant patch cables may be a more general thing with many uses. And your Y patch cable made me wonder if we can put multiple cables in one and the same slot. I'll have to try it but if it works, even if the signal is slightly diminished, that would open a whole new universe of patching options and techniques..
Yes making a Y shaped cable or joining 3 patch cables externally should work fine as the little multi block on the Volca Modular is just 3 sockets connected directly together
@@ChrisLodyMusic WIth "multi blok" you mean the splitter I presume. SO from your answer I also presume that you've tryed it and the sockets can't except more than one patch cable. But you didn't comment on using resistors as a general form of patching.
Yes I'm referring to the splitter. No the sockets can't accept more than one patch cable. I have tried patching elsewhere with resistors and even other components but I haven't found anything interesting to share
@@ChrisLodyMusic Ok thanks, good to know. So spider cables it is! I'll take out my soldering iron. Come to think of it the concept exists already with the Double-stackable banana plugs dah!... But I want to comment on what you said about the splitter ...if the three slot row is just all of them connected that means the black input-output slot is just a convention.... all three slots can play that role.
Yes I think the marking mean nothing on the spliter. I tested the connections with a multi meter and they are just connected directly together so you can use them anyway round it seems
I had such a great laugh when you showed the soldered cable, I thought the same solution with the breadboard but the last one was just fun, it shows how important is to understand a problem and think in ways to fix/upgrade a possibly wrong behavior. I think you're right, basically the signal is clipping on that stage and attenuation is the solution, I just found your channel and what a great content man, keep it up! cheers
I think you can do it without an additional resistor.
Both DUAL LPG outputs directly to SPLIT's outputs on the same row. SPLIT in to UTILITY b. "a+bxc" to SPACE OUT in. Now reduce the amount of output via the C knob.
That may be true but that uses a split and the utility that can be used in patches which is why I came up with this method.
Nice! This is great, thanks for walking through it.✌🏼
No problem 😁
Fantastic, Really good my friend
You can't be blamed for playing with the VM lots, it is so much fun!
OK. I have 2 VMs. I've tried the first step in the patch on both, and I have the same issue. Dropping the Cutoff level until it sounds clean is exactly the same as you have found. I haven't tried the resistor fix, but if I do the same patch with normal patch leads I find it takes away a small portion of the rasping, it doesn't sound so gravely, but it also drops the volume output by approximately 10%.
Serials are (haven't included last 2 Numbers);
1st VM is 0117**
2nd VM is 0159**
Interestingly they've never sounded the same, The 2nd VM is bolder in sound and runs at a slightly lower pitch than the 1st. The 2nd one sounds very similar to yours.
I have been experiencing a different problem as well;
No matter which one I use to Sync-Out, I find that when their volume levels are high, using the inbuilt speaker or the headphones, then the VM that has Sync-In will skip steps on its programmed sequence, not on every step but every 2nd or 3rd step. It is almost as if the step is intermittently being double triggered and so I miss the first of the two notes. If I drop the volume on both units by approx 15 - 20% then the problem doesn't occur.
Apparently Volcas have always had Sync issues, but in most cases it is down to people using mono cables, or poor quality cables. This isn't the case here though as I am using good quality TRS cables.
I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I have a theory, I mostly use batteries in the volca units, and I wonder if there is a slight potential difference between the ground of both units because of this? Maybe at high output levels there is a spike occuring in the Sync signal and this is causing a false second trigger to the Sync-In?
I do have a PSU and a lead that splits 4Ways so that I can power multiple units, when I get the chance I am going to try this to see if the problem goes away when both VMs have a ground at the same potential?
Thanks for the info. Sounds like it's a universal problem with these then, but at least there's this fix. Interesting that yours sound different, but then I suppose that's to be expected with variation in components. My Modular is a bit out of tune too so I made my last pattern blank and used the micro tune feature to tune each note correctly and saved that so I can copy it each time.
Yeah I've heard of all sorts of problems on the Volcas being caused by the volume level. It also seems to affect firmware updates and the sample transfer on the Sample
I almost always use either batteries or a PSU per Volca with the volume all the way up, but intend to use the output as a line out rather than headphones or the speaker
@@ChrisLodyMusic Have to be realistic about what you get for the money, I guess. I don’t regret buying one, let alone two :D
Yes I'd get another one at some point I think, I really like what can be achieved with it, amazing little thing really. I've bought a Bastl Kastle and the Drum version is on the way that can talk Volca too so I'm going to have fun their. Worth it to add a nice slow LFO at the very least.
@@ChrisLodyMusic Finally got round to checking my theory with the sync problem, and sharing a power supply makes no difference either. The slave just seems to jump every now and again if the volume is too high. Bit of a shame.
Shame. I always use mine plugged into a mixer or interface at full volume and I've not had any problems that way. Are you using the internal speakers when this happens?
Thank you so much, just got one from ebay to find it had this problem! Ordered a pair of resistors from amazon should be here tomorrow. My serial number is 002153. Many thanks again!
No problem, glad to help. I'm guessing they must all be like this because no-one so far has told me they have one that doesn't do this
excellent video. Have you noticed any issues on the volca modular where the fm modulation sounds pure in the upper range of the ribbon controller, but when you drop down to the lower range it gets wobbly and out of tune?
Thank you. Yes that's normal, the Volca Modular used exponential FM to create it's complex tones which can very quickly lead to wonkiness. It's usually best to keep things quite subtle if you want a nice playable tone. This video does quite a good job of explaining the difference between linear and exponential FM ruclips.net/video/9_LvPz6kCQE/видео.html
@@ChrisLodyMusic sweet, appreciate the reply.
@@thehellostranger I think I've given you the wrong information about this after looking into it a bit more. I think the Volca Modular uses linear FM but doesn't seem to do so well at more extreme settings (past though zero). The video below will explain what that's all about. I also should have mentioned it's worth using the micro tuning feature to calibrate the tuning of each note on the keyboard which should help, both of mine were a little flat by default. You can save that into a blank pattern and use it when needed ruclips.net/video/fixa0zAebS4/видео.html
Wow, nice, your a champ. Keep making these and circuit bending too. Cheers from MN.
Glad you found it helpful, yeah I'll keep making stuff like this 😁
Outstanding! Thanks for that. I really enjoy my Volca Modular. I'll see if I have any distortion and fix it that way if I do. Thanks so much.)) PS - I'll let you know.
Thank you. Yeah it'll be interesting to see if this is a common problem
Thank you very much sir!
I’ll give that a try….
No problem 👍
Awesome, and bloody well brill, mate. Thank you!
No problem, thanks for watching
This is super helpful thank you so much for sharing!
You're welcome, hope you find it useful
welcome to the world of external vm mods ;)
Yeah I've been messing around with the breadboard attached to the VMod for a while and I have a video planned about some nice easy add-ons. That's one of the things that attracted me to the VMod in the first place 😁
@@ChrisLodyMusic great
@@ChrisLodyMusic I would love that! It’s a brilliant topic, and with your on-point delivery I’m sure that would be a wonderful walkthrough.
Thanks for complimenting my delivery, I'm fairly new to filming myself so that's nice hear 😁 Yes plenty to explore adding connections etc outside of the Volca Modular starting from some really basic things to logic chips and maybe even a simple low pass filter
Hi Chris, i just purchased a used Korg Modular and it sounds terrible.I am going to try your fix with the resistors. I wonder if they can be soldered to the main board, instead of having an external fix.
Your thoughts please and thanks for a great vid..Nick in oz..
Hi nick. I imagine it might be possible to do it on the main board but it will be tiny surface mount components at best or possibly even tiny copper tracks that need to be cut so I wouldn't want to attempt it
@@ChrisLodyMusic ok. thanks Chris.Will go ahead with your method....thanks again
Good trick ! Thanks
Hey Chris, I have version 004862 and have the same issue. Not sure if there are different versions or people who do not have the issue?
Thanks for the solution, will have to try it out!
Oh it's good to know it's not just me, thanks for letting me know. It'll be interesting to see how many more people confirm this. Hope the solution works for you too 🤞
Hey thanks! This is so cool
You're welcome 😁
Brilliant!
Interesting stuff. I've probably asked this before but do you know of a Westcoast semimodular for
Ha yeah it is a bit like that 😄 I've made things even more fiddly by adding the Bastl Kastle which is even smaller! There's Pluto by Modern Sounds that looks interesting but I'm not sure what the cost of that will be. Has nice big knobs and 3.5mm connections for patching
Maybe the Make Noise 0-Coast would be a good call?
Approx £500 at the moment.
It's neither West Coast (additive) or East Coast (subtractive), as it has elements from both i.e . "No Coast".
I'm no aficionado, but if you want to aim towards proficiency in West Coast synthesis, although expensive, Rack Mounted Modules are the right direction generally, as most American and European semi-modular synths tend to follow the school of East Coast synthesis?
The very reason the Volca Modular exists is to give a very affordable entry into Rack Mounted Realm of West Coast synthesis.
The 0-Coast is a great option. I’ve been using it for a few years. The “modules” are super interactive, it’s very well laid out and a great breakaway from more conventional subtractive synthesis. Also it packs a lot of features in a neat little toolbox which is useful to have around if you end up building a bigger modular system.
Yeah that does look good, it's something I'd love to have a go with
Yes they are actually a pretty good match for each other. Ive been meaning to make a video about this as the VMod can be used to sequence the Kaslte Drum quite well. On caveat is that Bastl recommend you run inputs from external devices in through the I\O connection as it has internal protection diodes. This requires using a prototype breadboard like the video below, but I used it loads just patching them directly together without any issues so far. They need to be grounded together which can be done by connecting the I\O connector to one of the sockets on the VMod or just to the same audio mixer or again using a breadboard. ruclips.net/video/fM6-jn2mMzE/видео.html
👏👏👏
Thank you, Chris! It's working perfectly on my VM. Its serial number is 017110. I really like this clean sound.
Oh that's good to hear, thanks for letting me know
I've noticed this problem with the Voca FM. Very frustrating to get around it. I manage to dial in amazing sounds but the price to pay is a little distortion.
Oh that's surprising. I don't own the FM but I'd be surprised if you can't turn the patch down somewhere to get rid of the distortion, but don't quote me on that 😄
@@ChrisLodyMusic You can tune it out but it's not easy. I only really get it when trying to use a little reverb or decay. Tuning it out can really mess with the sound you are trying to achieve. I've found myself having to start from scratch a good few times. I still love the Volca's. I don't have the one you've using. That's the only one I don't have. Big fan 👍